[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 53 (Thursday, March 23, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H1332]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                BUILDING ON LIFE-CHANGING SUCCESS OF ACA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Massachusetts (Ms. Clark) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, when President Obama signed 
the Affordable Care Act, he told those gathered at the White House: ``I 
am signing this reform bill into law on behalf of my mother, who argued 
with insurance companies even as she battled cancer in her final 
days.''
  In the 13 years since, the ACA has transformed healthcare in America, 
safeguarding the dignity of the sick, the security of families, and the 
health of us all.
  Perhaps nobody has benefited more from the ACA than women. Before the 
ACA, being a woman was a preexisting condition. Insurance companies 
were free to deny coverage for no reason other than being pregnant. 
Today, that kind of discrimination is a relic of the past. Today, women 
no longer have to pay more than men for insurance.
  Mr. Speaker, 13 years ago, 90 percent of market plans offered no 
maternity benefits. Today, they are offered by every single market plan 
in this country.
  Thanks to the ACA, every insurance plan empowers women to take 
control of their health: birth control, annual well-women exams, breast 
and cervical cancer screenings, breastfeeding support, maternal 
depression, and much more.

  What did Republicans have to say about this victory? One called it 
``the most dangerous piece of legislation ever passed in Congress.'' 
Another called it ``downright evil.''
  They voted more than 50 times to repeal the ACA. They did everything 
in their power to put politics over the health of the American people. 
Thankfully, they failed every single time.
  For 13 years, Democrats have proudly defended the ACA. Under 
President Biden, we haven't just held our ground. We have expanded 
access to quality, affordable health coverage.
  With our American Rescue Plan and with our Inflation Reduction Act, 
we built on the life-changing, lifesaving success of the ACA. Now, a 
record 16.3 million Americans are using the ACA marketplace to gain the 
security and peace of mind that comes with quality health insurance.
  As we celebrate all that has been achieved, I am grateful to those 
who made it possible. I am thankful for the leadership of President 
Obama and President Biden. I am thankful for the strength and unity of 
the House Democratic Caucus. I am thankful for the millions of 
Americans who have made their voices heard--voting, writing, calling, 
and marching to defend the Affordable Care Act.
  Our job is to lift up those voices, to put people over politics. I 
invite our Republican colleagues to reflect on the progress of the last 
13 years and to work with us to defend that progress and strengthen and 
secure it for the next generation.

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